Pinellas Park man accused of using Taser, pepper spray in assault

PINELLAS PARK — A 39-year-old man was arrested around 8 p.m. on Wednesday on charges that he assaulted another man with a small arsenal typically used for defense.

According to St. Petersburg police, Claudio Martins began his attack on another man at 106th Avenue N and 61st Street N. Martins reportedly used pepper spray on the man, police said, and then chased him down the street. While the man was trying to run away, police said Martins shocked him using a handheld Taser on him 6 to 10 times.

A police officer who was conducting surveillance in the area witnessed the attack, the department said, and reported that Martins was also carrying another Taser in his waistband. After using the handheld Taser, the officer said Martins whipped out a M26 Taser — a civilian version of a Taser usually used by police that can shoot electric probes —and waved it around, as if threatening to use it simultaneously with the other Taser.

Martins, of 6082 105th Terrace N in Pinellas Park, was arrested on a felony charge of carrying a concealed weapon and misdemeanor counts of simple battery and improper exhibition of a dangerous weapon, according to police. He was released from the county jail early Thursday morning after posting bail.

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